EXTRACTS OF SOME LETTERS From some Gentlemen of quality in his Excellency's ARMY, Concerning the state of the King's Army and their own.  
Written to Mr. Richard Shute a Merchant in Woodstreet. Decem. 13. 1642.  
Printed for I.B. & R. S. Decemb. 16. 1642.   

EXTRACTS out of some LETTERS Concerning The state of both Armies.  

Decemb. 13.  
SIR,  
WE hear of your distractions at London, but they discourage not, because we know your ability to suppress them; let the power of your Common Council be improved, and let the more active in this Riot be proceeded against.  
For the King's Army, we little fear them, we hear so much of their needy and weak condition. And we believe that their own apprehensions thereof move efficiently to this present mutinous accommodation, and we have cause to fear not only that their faction work for it who are among you, but that of late divers are come from the King's Army to London, to assist the present commotions: Let your Courts of Guard be kept strictly, for a knot of Cavaleerish faces were lately met towards you, who were overheard to say, If this business do but hold on, they should lay the Roundheads low.  
If the King's Forces dare but move towards you, we shall not fail to be upon their backs. If you continue your encouragements towards us, we shall shortly fall on them at Reading or Oxford.   

Decemb. 12. 1642.  
OUr last to you mentioned the business of Marleborough taken by the Enemy, of which my Lord General received more particularly by one yesterday, that the Town had in it but forty completely armed men, the Forces expected from the Country under the Command of Sir Edward Baynton, being not yet come in to them. That the King's Forces were about 4000 men, which came with Granades, Petards, and Drakes. Notwithstanding all their preparation, the Town so opposed them they could not fire it, but by some boys which crept into some thatched houses, and so fired them. Which being so unexpected, amazed the people, who hopeless with that weak force to keep the Town long, the armed men retired, and in the evening the Enemy entered, who there committed the same unclean, inhuman, and cruel actions to the Women there, as their fellow devils have done in Ireland. They took above an hundred of the poor Country men prisoners, pillaged throughout the Town, slew only two, but lost divers of their own, redeemed the Lord Seymers Lady, and so retreated for Oxford. Our Forces then at Newbury, marched towards Wantage, fell upon their Rear, took divers prisoners, slew about forty, took also most of the pillage, they had gotten from Marleborough.  
We hear from Oxford, that the King is in great straits, the Mint quite dry; the complaint is not the Common Soldiers only, but the Lords, and the Kings himself, they are so much exhausted, and as full of fears as wants. They send into all high ways and possess themselves of such droves of Beasts as they meet withal, and sell Robin-Hoods bargains again to raise money for them. We expect every moment to hear from our Newbury party, whereof we shall render you an account as occasion offers.   

December 11.  
MY loving Friend, belike your Citizen's wonder and blame us that no more is done by our Army; assure yourself the whole business of the Army is managed by such as are both wise and faithful to the cause; and as much is done as can be done; we do but wait for opportunities; Marleborough is taken by the King's party, with the loss of many of their men, and of but two of our horse, many taken prisoners; the honest women basely abused, stripped naked and worse: ours have taken many of theirs to the number of 30. & of five Wagons intercepted by Colonel Goodwin; we have cause to wonder that the City should be so unlike themselves, that when they have authority and power in their hands should not dare to show themselves against the Malignant party, but rather choose to let the work fall to the ground, and ruin themselves and the whole kingdom, and engage God against them, rather than hazard the displeasure of some great ones, enemies of God, whose breath is in their nostrils. What? will they lose the honour, the comfort and benefit of all they have done hitherto? will they repent of their goodness? will they rather sink under the burden, then have some of it, at least upon their enemy's shoulders? will they out of a base cowardly spirit betray themselves, and this glorious cause into the hands of the Enemy prodigious sottishness! I assure myself did many but know what state the King's Army is in, they would not so incline to accommodation. I met with special intelligence this day from one of the King's Army concerning their present state: he ingenuously confessed they are in a very low case, money is spent, powder is spent, the King is fain to sell Oxen to buy provision for himself, their horse mightily worn out, their foot ready to mutiny every day, their Dragooners want Boots, and many are without shoes or stockings: great fear is upon them, because the Parliaments Army so pursues them, they complain they can rest no where they are so hunted up and down; the spirits of the Lords with them were much down, but the main thing that discourage them is the rising of the Counties. What shall we have so fair a game and lose it for want of playing our Cards? If you would in stead of an accommodation drive home an association of Parliament (or so many of them as would) and City and Counties with the Lord General, the business through God would soon be done. The Lord direct you and bless you in your endeavours and turn all cross Passages to good. The Lord accomplish his own work in his own way, by his own means, in his own time, and let us subscribe to his wisdom and submit to his will; let us do our duty, go the world which way it will, and the Lord do what he please; let's not trouble ourselves about events, not torment ourselves with what is not in our power to help; if the worst come that can come, God's work must go on, the best is, our God lives and reigns, and our life hangs not upon any thing under heaven, but upon him that is above all. I rest  
Windsor, Decemb. 11. Yours in all love assurance.   
FINIS.